


Lost Things

by IAmStoryteller



Series: October Prompts 2019 [11]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types, Justice League of America (Comics), Shazam! | Captain Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Bruce and Billy are history nerds, Canon-Typical Violence, Do I know when this takes place? No, Don't blame me if you learn something, Gen, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2020-12-27 22:47:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21126503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmStoryteller/pseuds/IAmStoryteller
Summary: Bruce Wayne AKA Batman and Billy Batson AKA Shazam/Captain Marvel have Watchtower Duty when Billy's latest history assignments prompts some storytelling and looks into the past.





	1. Watchtower Duty

**Author's Note:**

> Ignoring canon as usual for these DC based fanfics.  
Not sorry.
> 
> Chapter 1 is just a set up chapter.  
Chapter 2 will be for Day 20  
Chapter 3 will be for Day 21  
Chapter 4 will be for Day 22

Sixteen-year-old Billy Batson stepped out of the Zeta Beam machine, half-tired from exhaustion from his latest case, and not in his Shazam form since it’s been quiet as of late and he actually had homework to do. And apparently, it was cheating if he used his Wisdom of Solomon powers to do his homework. He headed over to the watch room, where those in the Justice League assigned to Watchtower Duty stayed to focus on the monitors.

“Hey, Batman,” said Billy, plopping into the seat next to the brooding co-leader of the Justice League. 

“Billy,” said Batman, simply, eyes never straying from his work. It was rare that Batman had Watchtower Duty since he was always fighting crime in Gotham City, which had a ridiculously high crime rate. “Is it Saturday already?”

“Yep,” said Billy, taking out his tablet that had all the textbooks from school on it. Billy was only allowed on Watchtower Duty when it was _not_ a school night. There were enough Leaguers that it wasn’t much of a problem, but then again, his fellow Leaguers stayed out of Fawcett and didn’t scold Billy if he was out heroing on a school night. He already got enough of that from Mary and his foster parents.

Batman grunted and pulled out his phone. “I had better check that Robin didn’t run out of the country now that it’s the weekend.”

Billy snorted. “You really got to keep an eye on him and Superboy, huh?” Robin was 14 and Superboy was 12 and they were both better together and terrible together. It was hit or miss when they were up to something. Billy should know. Once he pissed off the Trinity and they made Billy babysit them. (Billy got a black eye courtesy of the salty son of Batman for calling it “babysitting”).

“It’s been worse since my son recruited your sister and a girl from Gotham Academy,” Batman replied.

“Ah, well, Maya’s there. She’ll look after them. I’d rather Darla hangout with them instead of going off on her own,” said Billy. Billy took out his phone to text Darla. Darla was not supposed to leave the country without letting him know—he really didn’t want to fight Superboy and Robin over dragging his younger sister into their messes. She texted him back immediately, as she was always attached to her phone. She was in the middle of a project for school, so no shenanigans this weekend.

“Don’t worry. It’s my cousin’s turn to keep an eye on Robin’s activities this weekend while I get League work done,” said Batman, seemingly also receiving a positive text from Robin and/or whomever. “She won’t take any of their crap.”

“Ah, the red head or the blonde.”

“The blonde,” said Batman.

“Oh good, Darla likes her,” said Billy. “So, can I do my homework or do you want me to watch the monitors with you?”

“You can do your homework,” said Batman. He was probably more inclined to want to do the work himself and let Billy not be in his way. 

Billy went to work on his homework, having to read the next three chapters in his history text, only because he was behind two days on homework. Superheroing took up a lot of his time, even with Mary and Freddy covering for him. He was pretty sure the teachers thought he was a hypochondriac. He was just lucky that all of his homework was in one handy place on the tablet that school gave him or he was sure that he would have flunked out of school already.

He slogged through the three chapters and did the corresponding worksheets to the chapter. But then Billy noticed another history assignment. He clicked on it and groaned.

“What?”

“Uh, I have to do an essay on the 1920s,” said Billy, sighing. US History 2 AP was killing him this year with essays, but it was better than math worksheets.

“Specifically what? A lot went on in the 1920s,” said Batman, frowning.

“It just says “Write an essay detailing an event in the 1920s using primary sources such as local and national newspaper archives. The essay may be written as narrative as long as you properly source your work,”” replied Billy. 

“Hmm, well, what do you have in mind?”

“I really don’t know. What can I use that’s not suspicious? I mean, I have a story from one of my adventures, but I don’t know if I can find the primary sources to back it up,” said Billy, shrugging. “Why did I ever let Mary talk me into taking an AP history class?”

“To challenge you?”

“To give me a headache,” said Billy. He sighed. 

“Hmm, well, I can let you use something from one of my cases if you want,” said Batman. “One of my cases led me back to the 1920s to one of ancestors, who was a private detective.”

Billy grinned. “Really? Wow, being a detective must run in the family then!”

Batman smirked. “Perhaps. Want to hear the story?”

“Yeah!”


	2. A Batman Case

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batman's goes down memory lane with one of his earlier cases.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, now I'm finally continuing what I started in Inktober.
> 
> Enjoy!

** _YEAR 3 BATMAN_ **   
**Gotham City Police Department Main**

“The Maroni and the Falcone families are warring again,” said Commission Gordon.

Batman stood on the roof of Gotham Central Police Department. He felt awkward as this tentative agreement between himself and Commissioner Gordon was new. Batman had been swinging across the rooftops and skyscrapers of Gotham City for three years and he still felt like he didn’t have a good grasp of everything yet.

“For what reason?” Batman had an idea of what was going on but he wanted to be sure that his hunch was correct.

“You heard that Major Case took down the Marlin crime family recently?”

“The Marlin family were loan sharks, bookies, and had a good solid hook on the prostitution business in Old Gotham. Hatch Marlin’s son Shark ran the business into the ground and then made the mistake of threatening Duke Kelmer, his lifelong rival, in public. When Kelmer wound up dead, Shark was on the hook for the murder,” said Batman. “So now Old Gotham is fresh territory for the Maroni and Falcone families to fight over, is that about right, Commissioner?”

Gordon raised an eyebrow. “Yeah. Spot on, as always, Batman.”

“So what do you need from me? You want me to keep an eye on things?”

“Yes and no. You heard of the Treasure of Old Gotham, I assume. Maroni and Falcone both want it.”

“That’s a town myth,” said Batman. “Bank robbers were abundant in the 1890s-1920s. Rumor is that a countrywide bank-robber made his way through every state with trains and ultimately hid the stash in Old Gotham. If it was true, it’d be a small fortune—from gold bars, to old dollars, to museum artifacts.”

Commissioner Gordon sighed, “The only thing that matters is that the mobsters believe it.”

“I’ll focus some efforts in Old Gotham,” said Batman, turning to leave. 

“It’s very appreciated, Batman,” said Commissioner Gordon. 

_~_~_~_~_~_~

**Underneath Wayne Manor**   
**“The Batcave”**

“How was the meeting with the Commissioner, Master Bruce,” Alfred asked, as soon as Bruce took off the cowl, stepping out of the car.

“Informative, Alfred,” said Bruce, sighing. “There’s research that needs to get done. How was Dick this evening?”

“As always, Master Richard had been disappointed that you hadn’t been at supper and he waited up again for you,” said Alfred, with an air of disapproval. “Honestly, Master Bruce, perhaps some effort is needed in bonding with young Master Richard.” 

Bruce winced at Alfred’s tone. He took the young acrobat into his home on an impulse. While they managed to catch the man who murdered Dick’s parents, Bruce had been firm in not bringing a young boy into the whole vigilante mess. Dick was as equally as stubborn. He was 10, so Bruce maintained that Dick didn’t know what he wanted and that Dick was not going to ever be his sidekick. Dick needed a father, or an actual parent, not someone like Bruce.

“Well, after this case, maybe, I’ll do something with him,” said Bruce, going directly to his large computer setup. 

Alfred raised an eyebrow. “I do believe that you said that on your last case. You cannot keep ignoring him, Master Bruce. He needs you.”

Bruce didn’t respond, because Alfred was right. Alfred was always right but that was not the point. After all, Bruce had a gang war to stop. Instead, Bruce sat in his chair and began typing away accessing the historical databases of Gotham Central Library and the Gotham University. He searched anything about specifically treasure or bank robbers. 

The top search result was a journal of Private Detective L. Keely. Bruce had never heard of him and he knew why once he clicked on it to open the PDF file of the copy of handwritten journal.

_“Property of Laura Ann Elizabeth Keely_   
_If Found, Return to 54 Street of the Americas, City Hall District, Gotham City, NJ”_

“Oh, well that makes more sense,” said Bruce, more to himself than to Alfred, who had been milling about checking the car. “Did you know Great-Grandmother Laura was a private detective?”

“Yes, of course, Master Bruce,” said Alfred, simply. “She was a flapper too, if Master Thomas’ stories were accurate.”

Bruce hummed in thought. No wonder the two databases had this journal, because Bruce donated a lot of papers, documents and journals that he needed to be properly put up with easy access to research and he hadn’t the time to do it himself. A large donation to the Gotham U history department and the Historical Society of Gotham did most of the work for him. 

In addition to having the actual pages photocopied, the painstakingly task of transcribing everything was done, so it was side-by-side, so if the historians and archivists missed anything, Bruce would catch it. 

He kept scrolling, skimming the pages, looking for any reference for treasures or even Old Gotham. It took a good chunk of time, until there was an entry in 1926 (notably two years before his great-grandparents got married) where she wrote about a case of concerning a treasure hunt handed to her by, in fact, Kenneth Wayne.

Bruce stopped and slowly read the entry.

_“June 4, 1926  
That Popinjay Kenneth Wayne came to my office today. Honestly, he and rest of heirs of the Lords o’ Gotham are major annoyances, always paying off the coppers, throwing money all ‘round time. Troublemakers. Anyway, as the coppers and I are having a bit of a kerfuffle, I had no choice but to take the case from Kenny-boy to pay my office rent and my apartment rent._

_I ain’t gonna be like that louse next door who sleeps in his office._

_Anyway, let’s just see how this case goes...It’s just I ain’t feeling like I wanna chase an old wives’ tale for monies. _

Bruce almost laughed at the harsh opinion of his great-grandfather by his great-grandmother. Thankfully, she wrote down a reference number to her case files, that Bruce was sure that he also donated.

_“Case of the Treasure of Old Gotham _  
Case #554  
Client: Kenneth Wayne  
Down Payment: $100 (Paid In-Full)  
Remaining Balance: $100 

_Kenneth Wayne hired me to investigate the “treasure of Old Gotham.” _

_Pre-Investigation Notes:_  
-unknown bank robber supposedly hid his stash on the run from the cops, somewhere in Old Gotham, the original historical site (been around since the founding back in colonial days)  
-Many have gone looking  
-Possible conclusion: Just a story?” 

Bruce sighed. His great-grandmother then wrote step-by-step what she investigated and the avenues she explored, but that was not why he sighed. (Bruce was very impressed with his great-grandmother’s notetaking).

“Looks like you gotta back-track, Bruce,” said the young voice of Dick, standing barefoot and in his pajamas next to Bruce, reading the old case file.

“You should be in bed,” said Bruce, awkwardly.

“Woke up,” said Dick, shrugging, in that cute, but irritating way of his. “Are you doing a treasure hunt without me?”

Bruce heaved a sigh again and reminded himself to have patience like the parenting books told him. “Dick, this is an actual case dealing with two of the most dangerous mob families. I’m just gathering information.”

“From olden times,” asked Dick, not believing.

“Dick, go to bed. You have school in the morning,” said Bruce. Seeing Dick’s dejected look, Bruce added, “And…if I finish this case before the weekend, do you want to go to Metropolis to see the baseball game?”

Dick grinned. “Cool. And can you finally introduce me to Superman?”

Bruce grimaced. “Maybe if he’s not busy…” Bruce made a note to self to message Clark later to see if “Superman” could make an appearance at the baseball game this weekend. He was sure that Clark would never let him live it down.

_~_~_~_~_~_~

**The Next Afternoon**   
**Gotham University, Department of History and Archeology**

“Thanks a bunch for meeting with me, Professor,” said Bruce, flashing a charming smile and shaking the hand of the co-chair and the expert on the history of Old Gotham, Professor Hartley. Professor Hartley was about 15 years older than him and she was a native of Gotham. She actually was the history teacher at Gotham Prep when Bruce was in high school.

“Of course, Mr. Wayne,” said Professor Hartley. “Have you been hearing all the talk in town about the Treasure of Old Gotham too?”

Bruce said, in a guilty tone, “Ah, yes, I was hoping that you could give me insight. Young Dick has been asking about it. I’m terribly uninformed.”

Professor Hartley grinned. “Well, if you paid attention in my history class, Mr. Wayne, then you would have known the whole story.”

“Ouch, you wound, Professor,” said Bruce, winking. “I admit, you were the only teacher to actually dare give me a C+ in high school.”

“Hmph, well, you did perfectly average work, so it deserved a perfectly average grade,” replied the Professor. “But enough of that, Mr. Wayne, to the matter at hand. What do you want to know exactly about the treasure?”

“Is it real,” Bruce asked, getting straight to the point.

Professor Hartley sighed. “Yes and no. Was there a treasure hoard at some point? Absolutely. Is it still there? Doubtful.”

“You think someone got to it a long time ago and never said where they got the money from,” asked Bruce.

“That is the conclusion that your great-grandmother came to in her investigation in the 1920s,” replied Professor Hartley. “I figured you read it before you came to see me.”

Bruce grinned. “Yeah, it was kind of hard to read it. Thanks for your help, Professor.”

“Anytime, Mr. Wayne.”

_~_~_~_~_~_~

**That Evening**   
**Old Gotham**

Batman was only able to follow half of the investigation because a lot of the places were gone and he had no way to verify people since they were all dead. Still, his great-grandmother concluded that the location of the treasure had been in an old play theater, but it was gone. Batman was in the dilapidated theater, waiting in the old balcony, as mobsters combed through all nooks of the old theater.

It was a waiting game at this point.

“Hey, guys, I found somethin’!”

Batman watched as they pulled out a wooden chest from under one of the seats that had a hiding space. He knew that nothing would be there and then the mobsters would be very, very mad.

“What’s this? It’s says that there’s no treasure,” one of the mobsters, holding a piece of paper (clearly a modern one, because paper didn’t last long). “We have been hustled, boys!”

It was time for Batman to act.

He jumped down, throwing several Batarangs at the criminals, and that’s when the gunfire started.

_~_~_~_~_~

**That Early Morning**   
**Underneath Wayne Manor**   
**“Batcave”**

“Master Bruce, sit still would you,” said Alfred, attempting to patch up the minor gunshot wound Bruce got earlier than night against the mobsters. He was in a foul mood. The Falcone family won the little territory dispute and now they took over all the old “businesses.” The Maroni family vowed vengeance. There was more work to be done in cleaning up Gotham.

“I’m fine, Alfred,” said Bruce. 

“Oh, Master Clark called. And he said that he’s up for Saturday’s baseball game. And you will be going and not disappointing Master Richard,” said Alfred, sternly.

“Yes, Alfred.”

_~_~_~_~_~_~

**Back to Present Day**   
**Justice League Watchtower**

“So, do you think that your great-grandmother found the treasure and never wrote it down,” Billy asked Batman.

“Possibly. As a project for Red Robin, when he was younger, I had him track down notable anonymous donations in 1926,” said Batman. “It looked like the St. Mary’s Cathedral got a sizeable donation from an anonymous source. Enough to think that it was a treasure hoard from a bank robber.”

Billy grinned. “That actually reminds me of something. Fawcett University had a top archeological department. There’s was actually heist in 1901 of items of great value. Someone made a treasure map that was housed in the museum.”

Batman grimaced. “There too? Interesting…hmm, tell me what you know.”


	3. A Shazam Adventure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy's tale!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can pry Billy being a history nerd out of my cold dead hands.

** _SHAZAM YEAR 2_ **

**Fawcett City, WI**   
**Fawcett City University Historical Museum of Antiquities**

Billy had broken off from the class fifteen minutes into their tour of the museum, because he already knew the ins and outs of the place, spending time here often when he ran away from foster homes and the orphanages. Billy’s favorite spot in the museum was the local history room because the exhibits were changed constantly so there was always something new to learn.

When he entered the local history room, it was deserted as usual. Only museum staff and random college students frequented the room. However, it was a Wednesday morning at 11am, so it was quiet. Billy wandered about the display cases, peering into them and reading the little information cards. He knew he was going to have to some stupid project because of this field trip so he needed a good project. He promised the Vasquez couple and the entirety of the Justice League that he would keep up his grades, in order to continue to be a hero.

He finally stopped at a strange map. It was a map of Old Fawcett, the original city layout. It was a new piece to him.

“1901 Supposed Treasure Map of Unknown Criminal,” read Billy out loud to himself. “In 1900, then Fawcett City’s only library, now the site of this very museum, housed several artifacts for the adjacent college’s archelogy department, featuring rare pieces from Kahndaq, Kasnia and even Egypt. It was then that several artifacts were stolen and in their place this map was left…Why the hell would anyone who stole something leave it as a treasure map? That makes no sense.”

“Unless he was being an asshole,” said Freddy, suddenly appearing next to Billy. Freddy grinned, clearly also having escaped from the tour as well. They didn’t have the same history class, but the two history classes came on the field trip together. Freddy’s history teacher was far more eagle-eyed and stricter than Billy’s. Billy’s AP history teacher, however, knew her subject very well, unlike Freddy’s history teacher who had been phoning it in for years. “That treasure map sounds like it could be a fun thing to do. Take a picture of it!”

Freddy and Billy were bad influences on each other. “No, Freddy. I don’t have time for a treasure hunt, one that probably doesn’t have anything at the end.”

“But think of the adventure, Billy!”

“I have enough adventure in my life,” responded Billy, wryly to his best friend. 

Suddenly there was a loud boom. It shook the very foundation of the building they were in and Billy grumbled about never getting a time to go through a full day of school without having to go off to be a hero. It was any wonder that he hadn’t flunked out of high school yet with how many days he missed.

“Come on, let’s go! We’re needed!”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Billy. “SHAZAM!”

_~_~_~_~_~_~

**That Evening**   
**Vasquez Household**

“No, absolutely not. You two are not going off on a stupid treasure hunt,” said Mary, hands on her hips, scowling at both Billy and Freddy. “Besides, Freddy, you have your extra credit for Algebra to do.”

“Oh, come on,” said Freddy. “This will just be fun! Imagine if we find that treasure! Billy can put that on his blog.”

Billy rolled his eyes. “No one would care, except for the historians.”

Freddy had the copy of the treasure map, which was sold at the gift shop at the museum. He had a grin on his face and holding up the map. “Oh, come on. If we don’t find anything, no harm, no foul. I always wanted to do a treasure hunt!” Mary and Freddy continued to argue about the merits of treasure hunt.

Billy rolled his eyes. Would he like more content for his blog and YouTube channel? Sure, but he doubted that anyone would interested as his content was normally superhero related. 

“It’s for history!”

“Well, maybe,” said Mary, relenting.

Freddy somehow convinced Mary and therefore, Billy was going on a treasure hunt.

_~_~_~_~_~_~

**The Next Day, After School**   
**Downtown Fawcett (Old Fawcett)**

“Billy, why do you know where all the weird shit is in this city,” asked Freddy, as the two stood in front of an old Victorian house, which was the headquarters for the Treasure Hunter Club of Fawcett. “How did I never hear of this place?! Was this one of the places you used to squat?”

“Because most of them are conspiracy theorists,” said Billy, entering the gate. He held it open for Freddy to walk through it after him. “Still, it’ll be good start. If anyone collected info about this map, they have it. Although, I’d go talk to the local historian for anything else.”

The door had a paper taped to it with the hours that the place was open. Considering it was Thursday afternoon, Billy doubted anyone would be there except the founder, who was a crazy old lady. The old converted house smelled of ink, old people, and dust. The two teenagers walked to the living room-turned-main office.

“Billy Batson, as I live and breathe. Where you been, kid?”

Billy held back a groan. He didn’t think that this guy was going to be there. “Hi, Kit.”

Freddy looked at Billy and then at the young man who greeted Billy like an old friend. “You two know each other.”

“Christopher Freeman, also known as Kit, nice to meet you,” said Kit. 

“Freddy Freeman,” replied Billy’s best friend, eyes narrowed. “Hopefully, there’s no relation.”

“Doubtful. Freeman is a pretty common name,” laughed Kit, attempting to be charming. “So, what brings you by, Billy?”

“The 1901 heist map,” replied Billy. Kit wasn’t a bad guy, but he was goddamn annoying. Kit was 22 and looking to be a perpetual college student. 

(It didn’t help that Billy recently found out that Kit was actually a magic superhero named Kid Eternity. But thankfully, Kit didn’t know Billy was actually Shazam).

“Ah, no way, I forgot that was going on display at the museum,” said Kit. “You guys trying to track down the treasure? Sweet. Mrs. Michaelson is obsessed with that map. If anyone can tell you anything, it’d be her. Unfortunately, you’d have to also find her at the times that her dementia isn’t affecting her.”

Billy made a face. Mrs. Michaelson’s dementia was very bad and he always felt uncomfortable talking to her. “Do you know about it?”

“Nah. Not my interest,” said Kit, shrugging. “Oh, but you might be able to find out from the archivist at the University library who used to help Mrs. Michaelson with her research. But I doubt that treasure is still there. Anyone with half-a-brain would have sold that stuff on the Black Market ages ago.”

Billy and Freddy sighed. 

_~_~_~_~_~_~

**Just after Dinner**   
**Fawcett City University Library**

After stopping by Wendy’s for some dinner with their allowances, Billy and Freddy trekked through the massive Fawcett City University grounds to find the library. Billy knew from past experiences that the library here was usually opened until 12 because college students were notorious for staying up late to finish assignments and papers. The two had to hurry up because they had a curfew at 8.

Hopefully, the archivist Kit mentioned would be there, so that Billy or Freddy didn’t have to come back there.

“So, that Kit guy. You know him,” said Freddy, clearly curious.

“I know a lot of people, Freddy,” said Billy, slightly defensive. “He’s actually Kid Eternity, you know. But he doesn’t know who I am.”

“Wait, isn’t he like a reserve Teen Titan?”

“I think,” said Billy, shrugging. “I’m on the Justice League now, that’s cooler.”

“Well, yeah. But it’s the first time that I heard someone having the same last name as me that wasn’t African-American,” said Freddy, grumbling. 

“It’s literally one of the most common last names, like Smith,” said Billy, rolling his eyes. “It’s not some grand conspiracy, Freddy, geez. Anyway, if this lady can tell us anything, we can follow the clues on the map and maybe get a location of the treasure.”

Freddy snickered. “And here I thought that you weren’t interested in this. History nerd.”

“Shut up, you ass.”

“Takes one to know one,” said Freddy, gleefully. “Oh this is it.” Billy and Freddy entered the library. Billy frowned at the sight of a LexCorp coffee shop inside the library. It’s a library, why the hell is there a coffee shop in it? Freddy saw the look on his face. “Take it easy. You can always team-up with Superman later and kick Luthor’s ass.”

Billy grumbled about capitalism and asshole billionaires, but he didn’t make a scene, as they went to the circulation desk.

Freddy did all the talking as usual. “Hey, there, Miss, is Mrs. Robertson in? We’re some high school students trying to learn about archiving historical documents for a project at school.” The ease in which Freddy was able to lie easily was impressive.

Billy was very bad at lying, though he did occasionally succeed.

“Oh, of course,” said the college student worker. “She’s in office 7B, just down that hall. She always works late, so just knock.”

“Thank you,” said Freddy, flashing a charming smile at the girl behind the counter. 

Freddy and Billy went to the office. Billy knocked on the door, which received a “Come in” response immediately.

Inside the room was a Chinese middle-aged woman, clearly Mrs. Robertson, sitting behind a messy desk, scribbling away on some papers. “Oh hello, young men. What can I do for you?”

“Hi, we’re doing a project on the Heist of 1901 and we thought that maybe you could help…?”

_~_~_~_~_~_~

**Just before Curfew**   
**Old Main Street**

Billy had been surprised at how much information that the archivist at the University had on the exact subject. She told them that she doubted that the treasure was still there, wherever it was. But it was basically narrowed down to a few places on Old Main Street. Old Main Street had been the town center of Fawcett int eh 19th and early 20th centuries. Since then, it had become something of a ghost town with a lot of riff-raff.

“We don’t have time,” complained Freddy, who couldn’t risk breaking curfew again and get grounded.

“We have the Speed of Mercury, if anything,” said Billy. Now he was invested in this project and Freddy wanted to go home? Typical of his best friend. “Now, the old lady said that there had been an old inn somewhere either where that apartment building is standing now or where that convenience store.”

“It’s not like you have x-ray vision like Superman,” said Freddy. “How are we going to find out?”

Billy grinned. “Shazam!” 

One lightning strike later, there stood Shazam, the hero, himself. He pointed to his head and grinned at Freddy, who rolled his eyes. “Wisdom of Solomon.”

“I don’t think it applies to treasure hunts and guesses, Shazam,” retorted Freddy.

“It’s the apartment building,” said Shazam, immediately. “I’ll be right back.” Using the Speed of Mercury, he zoomed all over the building, which was mostly empty (save for the few squatters in the messed up building), until Shazam found an old door to the original basement of the inn. He thoroughly searched it and found nothing.

He rushed back outside to where Freddy was tapping his good leg impatiently, looking at his phone.

“Treasure was probably there, but not anymore. The good lady was correct,” said Shazam. “Shazam!” 

“Great! Mystery solved,” said Freddy. “We gotta get home!” 

_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

**Back to Present Day**   
**Justice League Watchtower**

“I went back the next day when Freddy went to debate and searched all over Old Main Street,” said Billy to Batman. “There were a lot of hiding holes, but there was nothing. The thief, whomever he was, moved it or someone else found it ages again and probably sold it on the Black Market for Antiquities.”

Batman nodded. “Sounds very similar to what happened in my case. To be honest, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility that both were done by the same person or the same crew.”

“Maybe,” said Billy. “It’s too bad that I couldn’t find those artifacts to get them back to their rightful places though.”

“I think I may have a better idea for your paper,” said Batman.

“Oh? What about?”


	4. What Happened Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How did Billy do on his assignment?

**Several Days Later**   
**Justice League Watchtower**

“Thanks, Batman, I got an A+ on my AP history paper,” said Billy, entering the Watchtower meeting room. There was a League meeting to start in twenty minutes.

“Glad to hear. Did your teacher appreciate it?”

“Well, I’m not on her shit list for now,” said Billy, wryly. “But she loved the deep dive into 1920s antiquities theft in Egypt and how it can be traced back to the 19th century and imperialism of the British, French, and American Empires. Thanks for letting me have access to the archives at Gotham University. Between Fawcett and Gotham, they have the best history and archeological programs.”

“I know. I’m glad that it worked out for you, Billy,” said Batman. “It does sound like you are looking at colleges, now.” 

Billy wisely didn’t respond. Of course, he was looking at colleges, because Mary kept leaving college brochures everywhere for him and Freddy to find. 

“Hey, Metropolis University has a good one too,” interjected Superman. “And less mad scientists than both Fawcett and Gotham.”

“Funny, Supes,” said Flash, zooming into the room. “Central City University has the fun historians. They even made me a museum.”

“Oh my God, Flash, really? Are you still talking about that damn museum,” complained Green Arrow, as he entered the room, holding a coffee in his hand. “And Billy, if you’re looking at colleges, Star City has an excellent college. Killer parties.”

“No,” shouted Flash, Superman and Batman all at the same time. 

“I can get you an in,” said Green Arrow, rolling his eyes, dramatically at the other three heroes. 

“Thanks, but I’m still only a junior,” said Billy, wanting the adults not to fight over him like divorced parents. He still couldn’t explain to the school why his emergency contact list was long as all hell and had the names of some of the most famous people all across the country.

“What are you all fighting about now,” asked Diana, entering the room. She had a box of bagels from a fancy bagel shop in Boston.

“Billy’s looking at colleges,” said Green Lantern, who had been in the room the entire time, napping, because he just got back from a mission out of the galaxy and he was tired. “And the four of them are arguing about where he should go.”

“Oh, Harvard, of course,” said Diana, simply. “Billy wants to be an archeologist like his parents. Harvard is the top school for it in the United States. Then again, Oxford might be a better choice overall.”

“Ugh, guys, it’s fine. I haven’t made any decisions yet,” said Billy. Were all of the schools mentioned on his list? Yes. Did he want to go to Oxford, where his mom got her doctorate? Very badly he wanted to go. Or Harvard where his dad got his doctorate? Also very much so. “And besides, I think we have criminals to discuss.”

“Ah, of course,” said Diana. “Let’s us discuss and feast.”

“I still maintain that Gotham has the best bagels.”

Diana dramatically gasped. 

Billy sighed, as an argument about bagels broke out amongst the adults. Besides, everyone knew that the best bagels were either from New York or northern New Jersey, but Billy sat next to Hal at the table. Hal rolled his eyes.

“I kinda miss this when I’m away,” said the Green Lantern. “But then I come back and I’m like…fuck.”

Billy snorted. 

“LANGUAGE, JORDAN!”

“Really?! Billy’s 16 and I’m pretty sure that he’s heard the word “fuck” before!”

Billy laughed. He really liked being in the Justice League.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who read it! This was a fun little story to write.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


End file.
